Fluid-pressure switching device.



R. v. GHBATHAM. FLUD PRESSURE SWITOHING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APRA, 1909.

'Patented sept. 14, 1909.

ERS. www u n c ANDREW. u. ummm ou. Hum-mancanti UNrrED sTA'rEs vPatri;rrr OFFICE.

ROBER'ZL" V. CHEATHAM, 0FA ST; MATHEWS, KENTUCKY.

FLUID-PRESSURE SWITCHING DEVICE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it k-nown that I, ROBERT V. SHEA-TEAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Mathews, in the county of J eiferson and State of Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Pressure Switching lDevices, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in iiuidpressure switching devices.

The one herein described being used at the intersection of a street railway and a steam railway, the tongue being'norma'lly set ink a position to derail the street car. The flagman or operator may at hisv discretion operate a lever and close the switch to allow a street car to pass the switch and across the intersection. Upon his releasing the lever the switch will be opened again to derail the follow ing car.

I do not claim priority of invention in using a fluidV pressure to move a switch tongue.

The greatest obstacle in throwing a switch tono'ue by any machine located below the surface of the street has been found to be in keeping the water and mud out of the interior compartments, whether they be hydraulic cylinders or electricall machines. In all systems so far as I have observed, there` is of necessity a movable rod extending from within an interior compartment through a stuffing box into an exterior' one which is flooded by rains or' choked sewers. The result is that the packing aroundl the rod wears and the muddy water leaks through the packing into the interior compartment and the sediment chokes the pipes or shortcircuits the electric work.

My improvement consists of an open end cylinder having no stuffing box and being protected from the entranceA of water and mud by an air chamber or invertedl pan or' hood.

My present arrangement is novel in that only one line of pipe is required for eachswitch point as any fluid which escapes past the pistons is drawn back by the action of the mercurial column.

To these and other ends, the inventionl consists in certain improvements and combi-l nations and arrangements of parts, all of: which willv be hereinafter more fully de scribed.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure' 1 Specification of Letters' Patent.

Application led April 1,

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

1909. serial No. 487,268;

is a perspective of a part of the switching arraiigement connected to the switch tongue or movable rail. Fig. 2J is a vertical section :through line A-A Fig. I showin the interior of the cylinder' and the va ves, enlarged for clearness. Fig; 3' is a vertical View of the pump, one sidel of the interior of whichI i's shownV in' perspective.

Similar partisare designated by the same reference characters in the several views.

In Fig. l, 1 is' a switch as ordinarily constructed for street railway work and having al n'iov'ablex tongue, Q'.

3 is ajcast iron box or housing placed against the side of the switch and having its lid removed.

t is a' box' or' reservoir within the box 3, and cast uponv the bottom of box 3. A channel :3f-is formed' in one end of reservoir 4L. In this channel is fastened, by means of Babbitt metafli, an' elongated: block of steel 6 having a hole bored lineally through its center to forni a cylinder.

i is an L-shaped strip of iron welded to the tongue Q'and extending through opening 8 and' into' the box' 9 is a' vertical studv cast upon thelbottoin of box 3, and having its upper end reduced in size.

l0'- isan' inverted pan or' air chamber with a portiony brokenout for' observation. This chamber covers-the reservoir 4' and aportion of the mechanism forvthe purpose of excluding the' water, which will" runI into box 3 during rains or Hoods.

1l is a piston-rod bent to form eccentrics andl extends fromy within cylinder 6 into the reservoir 4*, then upward and over the edge `of reservoir el, then downward and under `the edge' of pair 1:0, then upward and fth'rough the hole l2' in ironv strip 7.

13; is a coily contractile spring, onel end of which is bent and hooked around the stud 9, the other end i's bent to pass under the edge of pan I0; and' is then hooked into the' hole 1st in the iron strip 7. p

l5 is a' leather'cup-valve witha hollethrough the center.

1G isa screw having a countersunk hole through its center and two parallel prongs 17, 18" extending lineally from itshead with holes' I9, 20 being bored in each prong.

Q1 is a screw-head valve shown in' its open or normal position having a flat projection 22 extend-ing lineallyl from its head. Near u' :the'vfiuid pump. The N shaped cavity 29 which contains the fluids is so shaped to form a fluid trap. The upward extending arm which is integrally cast to the pump body 28 is slotted transversely near its top,

Vvsaid slot forming a receptacle for the L shaped lever 52. Pin 3l extends through the slotted end of arm 30 and forms a journal for vlever 52.

32 is a fluid reservoir cast on top of the main pump body 28. Y Y

433 is a plunger, the lower portion of which is hollow and cylindrical in shape. The lower end of plunger 33 is slightly enlarged and threaded internally at 34.

35 is a transverse slot which extends Y through both sides of the cylindrical. portion of plunger 33 and extends vertically between lines 36 and 37. Said slot forms an elongated .opening in the plunger 33 through which the screw ,51 extends.

38 is a hood or inverted cup integrally cast around plunger 33 and overhanging and extending below the top of reservoir 32 to exclude rain from the interior of reservoir.

39 is a cup-valve preferably of leather bored through its center and attached to the lower end of plunger 33 by screw 40.

4.0 is a screw bored through its center and countersunk to form a valve seat'41.A Two parallel prongs 42 `are formed on the head of screw 40 and project therefrom lineally. The projecting ends of these prongs 42 turn inward to form shoulders 49 which retain the screw shaped valve 50.

5l is a screw which extends through one side of the reservoir 32, then through the slotted plunger 33, slot 35 in the `plunger 33,v

and then screws into the opposite side of` vreservoir 32. Screw 51 is stationary and engages the upper end of valve 50 when said valve and plunger 33 are near their limit of upward motion, thus making a positive mechanical means of opening valve 50 in case it should stick and fail to open by gravity when vthe plunger 33 is being raised. j

52 is a bell crank lever mounted in the slotted end of arm 30 and secured by a pin A3l which forms a journal upon which it` moves. The end of lever 52 is slotted at 53 and attached to the plunger 33 byV means of pin 53a.

54 is a stationary lug integrally cast on lever 52 and engages a corresponding lug 55i integrally cast on arm 30.to Yform astop to the backward movement of lever 52.

56 is astationary lug forming a portion of arm Y 30.

57 is a coilcontractile spring having one end Vhooked in the hole 58 in lug 56 and the other end hooked inthe hole 59 Yin lug54.; Said spring serves to returnthe'lever 52 toV Y its normal orupright position.

Ears 60 are a part of casting 28, a hole being bored through each to receive vscrews ,which fasten casting'28 to a postor other support not shown. YPipe 61 screwsinto casting 28 against gasket 62 and` forms an outlet or continuation of the N shaped chan-.

nel 29 and contains the fluid connecting the j pump Fig. 3 and the switching mechanism Y 1,85 formed in the casting28. This lquicksilver serves to *balancethe column of fluid v(oil, for instance), so that in case theV operating pump F ig. 3 and the switching mechanismV Fig..l aie on different levels the oil'will stand at vthe required height in the pump, land will not flow out throughl the rvalves even though they ybe worn or loose `or stands ing open.

VVarious modifications of the constructionl may be made withoutfdeparting.from the spirit of the invention, and no limitation -is intended by the specific disclosure'and'illus# tration.

Method of operation: The motorman ico approachingl an intersecting railroad finds a switch with the tongue set to derail his car.

He stops and the conductor goesahead onto ythe intersecting railroad where the fluid pump is located. .He pulls on theV lever52* which forces the plunger Y*33 downward..V

The pressure of oil'beneath"thevalve-50 closes it and the leathercup valve 39'. further movement of lever 52 in the same direction forces theplunger 33 downward forcing the oil or fluid before it thus'causing a movement through the entire pipe line.

This movement of the column of oil or Afluid forces the plunger lll outward which closes lthe switch allowing the .car to proceed. YThe conductor maintains a pull on the leveruntil the car has passed the switchv tongue. `rHe then releases the :lever and `spring V1 3're'- 'Y turns the tongue and plunger 11 tov their normal position, thereby forcing back the T l oil in the pipeline, andtrap 29. The working'parts of the pump are reset to a normal position by spring 57. The valve50 must be open while the plunger 33 is in itsnorinal Y Y position because stationaryk screw 5l bears; against the upper end of said valve.

I claim as my` invention: I. Y

l. A Vfluid-operated switchingk devicejconfsisting of primary and secondary cylindersk f CeilnscteCl-by @fluid-pressure rpeor chan-fri isov Y' nel, said secondary cylinder having an open and non-packed end for a combined outlet for its fluid contents and piston rod.

Q. In a {luid-operated switching device consist-ing of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a fluid-pressure pipe or channel, a secondary cylinder having its open non-packed end terminating within an open-top or unsealed reservoir.

3. In a fluid-operated switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a {luid-pressure pipe or channel, an open-top or unsealed reservoir inclosing the outlet of the secondary cylinder.

el. In a {luid-operated switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a fluid-pressure pipe or channel, a piston-rod or bar bent to form an eccentric or bridge spanning over the side of the reservoir. and forming a movable means for transmitting the power or movement. from the interior of the secondary cylinder or reservoir to the movable tongue or parts on the exterior of the reservoir.

In a fluid-operated switching device consisting of a primary cylinder' and a secondary cylinder which terminates in an opentop reservoir, an inverted air chamber or hood covering the reservoir and adjacent parts and extending downward far enough to form an air seal which will prevent the water on the outside of the reservoir from overflowing the sides of the reservoir.

(3. In a fluid-operated switching device consisting of a primary cylinder and a secondary cylinder terminating in an inclosing reservoir covered with an inverted pan or hood, a coil-contractile spring located within the hood and having one end fastened to a stationary support and the other end bent to form an eccentric to pass under the bottom edge of the air chamber or hood and attached to the switch tongue or parts thereof for the purpose of holding t-he tongue in a derailing or normal position.

7. In a fluid-operated switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a pipe line or fluid channel, a U-shaped trap or bend formed in the connecting pipe line or chaimel and containing a body of mercury to act as a counterbalance to return and hold the operating fluid to its normal position or level in the fluid channel, cylinders, and reservoirs.

8. In a fluid-pressure switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a huid-pressure pipe or channel, a cup-valve attached to the piston in the secondary cylinder and arranged to be closed automatically by a pressure of the fluid in the connecting pipe-line or channel.

9. In a fluid-pressure switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a {luid-pressure pipe or channel, a relief valve located in the piston of the secondary cylinder and arranged to be closed automatically by a pressure of the fluid in the connecting pipe line or channel and to be opened automatically when the fluid-pressure ceases.

IO. In a fluid-pressure switching device consisting of primary and secondary cylinders connected by a fluid-pressure pipe or channel, a pump having a relief valve opening through the piston-head, said valve operating or opening when the pressure is taken off the operating iluid.

l1. In a fluid-operated switching device consisting of a primary cylinder or pump connected to a secondary cylinder by means of a fluid-pipe or channel, a movable hood connected to the primary piston rod and forming a cover to the reservoir-top of the primary cylinder.

12. In a {luid-operated switching device consisting of a primary pump connected to secondary cylinder by a {luid-pressure pipe or channel, a spring attached to an arm of the primary pump to return said pump and piston to their original or normal position.

13. In a luid-presure switching device consisting of a fluid Apump connected by a fluid pressure pipe to a secondary cylinder, a

in or obstruction located in the primary cylinder and acting as a stop to open the relief valve operating through the cylinder head.

ROBERT V. GHEATHAM. lVitnesses:

FLORENCE BAUER, LoUIs BAUER. 

